Hi everyone,I own a Freedom 33/35 Cat Ketch with carbon masts. The current sail plan includes lace lines and fully battened sails. I am not very happy with the lace line system. Either the lace lines are too tight and hoisting the sail is difficult and it gets stuck where a lace lines needs to pass the hoist point for the boom, or they are to loose and leave a lot of room between the sail and the mast, which I believe is not good for performance. I was wondering if there is anyone that has expecience with mounting a track to the carbon mast and track runners to the sail. Can a track be screwed on or does that weaken the mast? And if so how does this work with the boom hoist? Or should this alteration also include a switch to a classic (fixed) boom?Thanks very much!Leonard

My 33 cat ketch had already been converted when I purchased it. Supposedly the conversion was done by Freedom. The track was attach using rivets (I assume Monel). I subsequently attached a radar bracket using rivets as well. Just make sure they are long enough. I don't recall their diameter or length. I had the gooseneck removed and carbon fiber custom goosenecks installed and the carbon shop said rivets or threaded screws in general but with rivets you don't have to worry about loosening up or abrasion as the mast flexes. The more the load the more they preferred rivets. For somethings like steaming lights etc that are not heavy or under load they used screws.